I was recently reading about the songwriter and performer ‘Scatman’ who had a hit of the same name in ‘94. He grew up with a terrible stutter which he decided to use to create his unique singing style, turning what many considered a weakness into a strength.
There are many examples of people switching weakness into strengths, Richard Branson, Helen Keller, etc. and their stories are an inspiration to us all who perceive difficulties can be something to hold us back from achieving life goals.
It reminded me of when I was working with a TV producer who constantly blamed me for the shortcomings of the equipment her company had provided for me to work on as a sound engineer. It would keep me up at night thinking about how I could explain the issues I was having to someone who didn’t understand, or didn’t care.
I decided to use my talent at that time as a song lyricist. I sat down and wrote an amusing ‘day in the life of a sound engineer’ as a poem. I then posted it on the wall in the office, which everyone enjoyed reading over the next few days. The result was instant and from that day on, I became the producer’s favourite sound designer.
We are all better than our shortcomings. In fact, if we use them wisely, they can be our greatest asset. We just have to decide if foibles will define us, or make us. Good luck in your creativity.